1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a semiconductor fabrication process, and, more particularly, to creating a process recipe in the semiconductor fabrication process based on a desired result or outcome.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a constant drive within the semiconductor industry to increase the quality, reliability and throughput of integrated circuit devices, e.g., microprocessors, memory devices, and the like. This drive is fueled by consumer demands for higher quality computers and electronic devices that operate more reliably. These demands have resulted in continual improvements in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, e.g., transistors, as well as in the manufacture of integrated circuit devices incorporating such transistors. Additionally, reducing the defects in the manufacture of the components of a typical transistor also lowers the overall cost per transistor as well as the cost of integrated circuit devices incorporating such transistors.
Generally, a set of processing steps is performed on a group of semiconductor wafers, sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9clot,xe2x80x9d using a variety of processing tools, including photolithography steppers, etch tools, deposition tools, polishing tools, rapid thermal processing tools, implantation tools, etc. The technologies underlying semiconductor processing tools have attracted increased attention over the last several years, resulting in substantial refinements in the fabrication process.
Typically, a recipe is provided to the processing tool, which then processes the incoming wafers according to the steps defined by the recipe. However, during the fabrication process, various events may take place that affect the performance of the devices being fabricated. That is, variations in the fabrication process steps result in device performance variations. Factors, such as feature critical dimensions, doping levels, contact resistance, particle contamination, etc., all may potentially affect the end performance of the device. To reduce processing variation, various tools in the processing line are controlled, in accordance with performance models. Pre-processing and/or post-processing metrology data is supplied to process controllers for the processing tools. Operating recipe parameters, such as processing time, are calculated by the process controllers based on the performance model and the metrology information to attempt to achieve post-processing results as close to a target value as possible.
Reducing variation in the manner described above, however, may not necessarily effectively lead to increased throughput, reduced cost, higher device performance, and the like. For example, if the operating recipe parameters that are calculated based on the model data and metrology information are invalid or otherwise inaccurate, the processing tool may misprocess the wafers, thereby reducing the throughput and increasing the cost of the fabrication process.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for creating a process recipe based on a desired result. The method comprises providing at least one workpiece to a processing tool for processing, providing the desired result for the workpiece to the processing tool, and generating a recipe for processing the workpiece based on the desired result.
In another embodiment of the present invention an apparatus is provided for creating a process recipe based on a desired target result. The apparatus comprises an interface and a control unit. The control unit is adapted to receive an input from the interface indicative of the target result for at least one semiconductor wafer, receive the at least one semiconductor wafer for processing, and determine one or more process acts based on the received input to substantially achieve the target result.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, an article comprising one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions is provided for creating a process recipe based on a desired result. The one or more instructions, when executed, enable the processor to receive a user input indicative of the desired result for at least one semiconductor wafer, receive at least one semiconductor wafer for processing, and determine one or more process acts based on the received user input to substantially achieve the desired result